NYT Reporter Glosses Over Efforts by Big Liberal Donors

A statewide effort by GOP donors succeeded in passing right-to-work in Michigan despite the party’s failures at the federal level, according to the New York Times. However, Nicholas Confessore, a Times reporter and former staff writer for the liberal American Prospect, glossed over similar efforts by liberal donors in Colorado.

Similar organizations run by the Democratic Party have raised substantially less money in recent years. Wealthy donors like Tim Gill, a Colorado software entrepreneur whose millions have helped defeat state lawmakers opposed to gay rights, have worked to elect Democrats at the state level. But they have been less apt to work in concert across the country.

Others are occupied with other political battles. Jon Stryker, a Michigan billionaire who has long been a major patron of the state’s Democratic Party, contributed no money to the fight for Proposal 2.

Confessore fails to mention that Tim Gill is one of the leaders of the dark money group known as the Democracy Alliance and a founder of the Colorado Democracy Alliance. The Colorado Democracy Alliance set a goal of spending $16 million during the 2006 cycle alone. Gill has also contributed to candidates in more than 30 other states.

Jon Stryker, the brother of Gill’s friend and Colorado Democracy Alliance cofounder Pat Stryker, contributed at least $2 million to Obama’s super PAC Priorities USA. Stryker and Gill are half of the "Gang of Four" in Colorado politics, along with Jared Polis and Rutt Bridges.